Exterior angles of a triangle

🏆Practice parts of a triangle

The exterior angle of a triangle is the one that is found between the original side and the extension of the side.
The exterior angle is equal to the sum of the two interior angles of the triangle that are not adjacent to it.

It is defined as follows:

A1 - Exterior angle of a triangle

α=A+Bα=∢A+∢B

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Test yourself on parts of a triangle!

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Angle A is equal to 30°.
Angle B is equal to 60°.
Angle C is equal to 90°.

Can these angles form a triangle?

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Exterior angle of a triangle

Until today we have dealt with internal angles, perhaps also with adjacent angles, but we have not talked about external angles. Don't worry, the topic of the exterior angle of a triangle is very easy to understand and its property can be very useful for solving exercises more quickly.
Shall we start?


What is the exterior angle of a triangle?

The exterior angle of a triangle is the one that is found between the original side and the extension of the side.


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What does the continuation of the side mean?

Imagine someone draws a triangle and falls asleep as they are finishing it.
Without realizing it, they continue drawing one side a little more...
and Bam! An exterior angle is created.
The exterior angle is outside of the triangle and is found between the original side and the side they continued drawing while asleep (the continuation of the side).

Let's look at an example

B2 -  Exterior angle of a triangle

Observe: An exterior angle is the one that is found between an original side of the triangle and the extension of the side and not between two extensions.

Note:
Whenever the angle is outside the triangle and is found between an original side of the triangle and the extension of another side of the triangle, it will be considered an exterior angle of the triangle.

Do you know what the answer is?

Examples of Exterior Angles

A3 - Exterior angle of the triangle

A4 -  Exterior angle of the triangle

A5 -  Exterior angle of the triangle

Great! Now that we have understood what an exterior angle is and that we can recognize it from a distance, we can move on to the property of the exterior angle of a triangle.
Property of the exterior angle of a triangle
The exterior angle is equal to the sum of the two interior angles of the triangle that are not adjacent to it.

A6 - Exterior angle of the triangle

Given that:
A=80∢A=80
B=20∢B=20

How much does the exterior angle measure?
Solution:
Let's denote the exterior angle with αα:

According to the property of the exterior angle of the triangle, the exterior angle αα must be equal to the sum of the two interior angles of the triangle that are not adjacent to it.
That is, A+B∢A+∢B

We already have these angles.
Therefore, all we have to do is add them up and find out the exterior angle:
α=80+20α=80+20
α=100α=100

Look, we could have found the value of the exterior angle in another way!
We know that the sum of the interior angles of a triangle is 180180.
Therefore, ACB=1802080∢ACB=180-20-80

ACB=80∢ACB=80

ABC∢ABC is the angle adjacent to αα, the exterior angle of the triangle that we need to find out.
We also know that the sum of the adjacent angles is 180180.
Therefore we can determine that: 
80+α=80∢80+α=80
α=100α=100

Look, In certain cases you will not be explicitly asked for the value of the exterior angle.
They might ask you, for example, about some interior angle of the triangle that you could figure out through the exterior angle.

Let's look at an example


Given the following triangle:

A7 - Exterior angle of the triangle

Data:
A=90∢A=90
α=110α=110

Find the value of B∢B

Solution:

We can solve the problem in two ways:

The first is based on the Exterior Angle Theorem of a triangle and understand that αα is an exterior angle of the triangle and is equal to the sum of the two interior angles that are not adjacent to it. That is, A+B∢A+∢B

Then,
the equation would be:
110=90+B110=90+∢B
B=20∢B=20

The second way to solve the problem is to remember that the sum of the adjacent angles equals 180180, then ACB∢ACB is equal to 7070.

180110=70180-110=70

Now, let's remember that the sum of the interior angles of a triangle is 180180

and we can find B∢B

B=1809070∢B=180-90-70
B=20∢B=20

Notice that we have arrived at the same result, but solving through the property of the exterior angle of a triangle has been faster to reach it.

Useful Information:
The sum of the three exterior angles of a triangle equals 360360 degrees.


In conclusion, it is important and really worth knowing the property of the exterior angle of a triangle to solve problems easily and quickly, although in several cases you will be able to manage without this magnificent theorem.



Examples and exercises with solutions of an exterior angle of a triangle

Exercise #1

Angle A is equal to 30°.
Angle B is equal to 60°.
Angle C is equal to 90°.

Can these angles form a triangle?

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We add the three angles to see if they equal 180 degrees:

30+60+90=180 30+60+90=180
The sum of the angles equals 180, so they can form a triangle.

Answer

Yes

Exercise #2

Angle A equals 56°.
Angle B equals 89°.
Angle C equals 17°.

Can these angles make a triangle?

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We add the three angles to see if they are equal to 180 degrees:

56+89+17=162 56+89+17=162

The sum of the given angles is not equal to 180, so they cannot form a triangle.

Answer

No.

Exercise #3

Angle A equals 90°.
Angle B equals 115°.
Angle C equals 35°.

Can these angles form a triangle?

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We add the three angles to see if they are equal to 180 degrees:

90+115+35=240 90+115+35=240
The sum of the given angles is not equal to 180, so they cannot form a triangle.

Answer

No.

Exercise #4

ABC is an isosceles triangle.

AD is the median.

What is the size of angle ADC ∢\text{ADC} ?

AAABBBCCCDDD

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

In an isosceles triangle, the median to the base is also the height to the base.

That is, side AD forms a 90° angle with side BC.

That is, two right triangles are created.

Therefore, angle ADC is equal to 90 degrees.

Answer

90

Exercise #5

Given the following triangle:

Write down the height of the triangle ABC.

AAABBBCCCEEEDDD

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

An altitude in a triangle is the segment that connects the vertex and the opposite side, in such a way that the segment forms a 90-degree angle with the side.

If we look at the image it is clear that the above theorem is true for the line AE. AE not only connects the A vertex with the opposite side. It also crosses BC forming a 90-degree angle. Undoubtedly making AE the altitude.

Answer

AE

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